How do you focus while working?
Pinar Engur
124 replies
Which type of music do you listen to?
Do you use a Pomodoro timer?
Do you need a tidy study room?
Second monitor?
Or any tips/advice?
Replies
Jim Morrison@jimbomorrison
Nüz
Music. 🎧 — Pink Floyd or Trance/House… what’s your focus-music?
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BeforeSunset AI
@jimbomorrison Amazing! Thanks Jim. It depends on my mood and tasks. If I have to read or write something, I prefer instrumental music. While working on my design tasks, I like to listen indie music or old but gold songs of Beatles, Scorpions, Smokie, and so on.
@pinar_engur that makes perfect sense — lyrics can be very distracting.
I need to be completely wrapped in my headphones to achieve top-focus otherwise I struggle to saturate my short-term memory enough for complex tasks/thoughts.
Do you find there’s a difference between ambient versus headphone music?
BeforeSunset AI
@jimbomorrison Yes, I agree! Headphones are helpful to focus. At home, I use JBL bluetooth speaker and prefer ambient music but I have to use headphones in the office. By the way, we have a slack community about productivity and we share some focus-music in drop-the-beat channel. If you are interested join us: https://www.usebeforesunset.com/.... I wonder your music taste.
Focus comes easier rested, in a tidy space, with music and incense. Something about tuning out other senses I suppose. I prefer to be cold, with blankets on hand.
A lot of this resonated with me, especially recognizing that not all "working" is the same - Attention/Drive/Energy vary https://youtu.be/v8EaeKusFvA?t=93
I use Endel soundspaces and time block my day. I’m usually curled up on my couch at home or in my office under a blanket with a lap desk or in my favorite chair in my favorite coffee shop.
Other than headphones and micro-meditative breathing breaks, I'm also one of the early testers on a Mac menu bar app (https://usebeams.com/) and I like the direction they're building in!
@pinar_engur You can do them anywhere. It's just a matter of finding a few seconds to close your eyes and breathe. Really helpful!
I like to listen to white noise to concentrate
BeforeSunset AI
@lianakhanova Wow, interesting! I haven't tried before. Does it work?
NEWOLDSTAMP
One task at a time and music 🎶 - I prefer indie rock, instrumental rock.
BeforeSunset AI
@oksana_ch Amazing! while working instrumental music is the best. I prefer piano and Latin tunes :)
Sunlighter
@oksana_ch @pinar_engur I wanted to second this! Music (indie, hip-hop, I listen to it all!) + coffee really helps me get into the zone! My co-founder and I actually just launched a music newsletter on PH today! https://www.producthunt.com/prod...
NEWOLDSTAMP
@pinar_engur @sunlighter_media congrats on the launch! Just upvoted:) Also, I like your description: “I knew about them before they got big!” - this actually so me;)))
Sunlighter
@pinar_engur @oksana_ch thank you! We love finding artists that deserve the recognition! It's not usually a bad thing to be early :)
Over the years, I realized that I am more productive when I feel time pressure. Sad but true:)
Outdone
@begum_atilgan the classic "If you give yourself 3 days to finish the task, it will take 3 days. If you give yourself 3 hours, it will take 3 hours."
like being focused these days are really hard as a Genz person I can say you these by focusing one thing at a time
AtomPay
Ahhh my favorite topic!
🎵 Music: I listen to lo-fi hiphop, specifically from Lofi Girl (youtube )
⏰ Pomodoro Timer: I used to depend on it but now I only use it if I'm really struggling to concentrate.
💼 Tidy Room: No, I there is a method to my madness (aka my messy office)
🖥️ Second Monitor: Nope!
Other hacks:
- I'm not a gamer, but I got a stream deck to help bring up and switch between certain apps much easier.
- I leave my in-ear headphones in my ears with no music on (blocks out noise and helps with focus!)
- If i find myself losing focus, I go on a 15-20 minute walk.
- I try taking less video calls and more phone calls so I can take them while I am walking so I'm not just sitting on my desk for 12 hours a day.
BeforeSunset AI
@joannakurylo I like this Lo-fi girl too :) I loved your tips. I haven't tried Stream deck before, I'll try it. As an exercise, I go to reformer pilates during my lunch break. It helps me to clear my mind and also helped me get rid of my back pain. Thanks, Joanna!
Collato
Good pop music, my favorite keyboard and an interesting work to do
Propertizer
Put on some great music and turn off my phone notifications
BeforeSunset AI
@david_sipos1 Amazing, David. Which type of music does help you focusing?
Propertizer
Timebox your tasks.
Timeboxing is a productivity technique that limits how long you spend on a task. It can help you focus on what needs to get done and stop procrastinating. For example, if you have a big project, break it down into smaller chunks (like mini-tasks) and give yourself deadlines for each mini-task. This way, if you reach your limit of time spent working on the first mini-task and there are still other things left to do, then go back later and finish them off.
It's also useful if you're tempted to spend too much time social media stalking or watching cat videos because they're hilarious and cute. Timeboxing can help stop this behavior by limiting how long you spend on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram each day; just make sure not to fill up all your free time with this activity!
Get off social media.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your work is to get off social media. While it’s fun and can be used to de-stress, social media can also be a huge time-waster if you aren’t careful. It’s easy to get sucked into scrolling through Instagram for hours on end when you should be working instead.
Focusing on anything other than what you need to accomplish will take away from the quality of your work and make it harder for you to complete tasks effectively in a timely manner.
Get enough sleep.
There is a lot of evidence to suggest that sleep can make you more productive and focused.
The amount of sleep that people need varies from person to person, but most adults get between seven and nine hours a night. To make sure you're getting enough rest, track your sleeping habits for one week using an app like Sleep Cycle or Sleep Time (for Android) or Sleep Monitor (for iPhone). This should give you an idea of how much sleep is right for you. If it turns out that less than seven hours per night isn't cutting it for you, try setting an alarm earlier in the morning so that by the time work starts at 9 am, your brain has had enough time to wake up.
Create a comfortable work space.
Find a quiet room.
Make sure it's well lit.
Remove any distractions, such as the TV or your phone—or at least turn them off!
Make sure you have a comfortable chair that supports you in all the right places (back, neck, and shoulders).
Ensure you have a good desk and computer setup that allows for optimal posture when working for long periods of time.
Figure out your best time to work.
The best way to start is by figuring out when you are most productive. Your ideal time of day might be the same as mine, or it may vary based on your personality, career and other factors.
Some people find that they're at their best in the morning—as soon as they wake up and before breakfast—while others do their best thinking later in the day after lunch. Some people function better early in the week and others prefer Fridays through Sundays for creating more original work with fewer distractions around them.
To figure out what works best for you, keep track of how well you perform when working on different types of projects at different times of day over several days or weeks.
Take breaks to refresh the brain.
Take breaks to get up and move around. You'll be surprised how much a few minutes of physical activity can help clear the mind and boost energy levels.
Take breaks to do something unrelated to work. Sometimes, it's good to let your mind wander elsewhere so that you have some new ideas when you return to the task at hand. For example, if you're writing an article about dogs (which is what I'm doing right now), maybe taking a break while walking around the block would be helpful because it will help me think outside of myself and come up with some interesting ideas for my article!
Take breaks between tasks instead of waiting until the end of the day or week. The brain needs its rest too! Having frequent short breaks will help keep us focused on our goals throughout the day but also allow us plenty of time for other activities that are important but not urgent: eating lunch with friends in between classes; relaxing before bedtime with meditations or yoga poses instead of lying awake all night worrying about deadlines tomorrow morning… these things add balance which helps us feel less stressed out overall without making any sacrifices in terms of productivity or quality work output
Keep the room clear of distracting noises and clutter.
It's important to keep the room clear of distracting noises and clutter. Clutter can be a major distraction, making you feel stressed and overwhelmed. It can make you feel like there's not enough time in your day to do everything that needs to be done, which makes you feel inadequate or like a failure.
You have more power over your focus than you might think!
So you've heard there are things called "focus techniques," and maybe you've done some research on them. But what does it mean to focus?
And how do you actually do that?
Focus is a skill, like any other, and it can be learned. You can improve your focus simply by practising it! The more time and effort you put into honing your focus, the better you will get at focusing—just like any other muscle in your body needs exercise to stay in shape. As with any physical activity, consistency is key: just as going for a run once isn't going to make your muscles stronger if they're already out of shape, so too will trying one trendy new approach to focusing (like counting backward from 100) not have lasting results if it's not part of a larger program built on habitual activity.
BeforeSunset AI
@david_sipos1 how about time tracking?
Propertizer
@pinar_engur
Create a habit out of doing recurring tasks.
Creating a habit out of tasks that you do on a regular basis will help you stay focused and consistent. If you want to track your time, one good place to start would be with the recurring activities in your daily schedule: like going to work, running errands, or cleaning your house. For example, if you're an hourly employee who works from 9 AM until 5 PM every weekday (and 10 AM until 6 PM on Fridays), it would make sense for you to use those hours as "work" hours in TimeCamp's scheduling feature when setting up your weekly reports.
The same principle applies for non-work related activities—such as exercising or grocery shopping—that occur on a regular basis throughout the week. Tackling these activities during the same time frame each day will allow them to become part of your routine so they become less stressful and more enjoyable!
Be quick about routine tasks
When you’re working on a routine task, like answering email or filling out a form, you can use the time to track your work. You’re not likely to stop and think about what you did with that time; it will just disappear from your day.
Routine tasks are usually quick and easy enough that they take less than 5 minutes to complete. That means every 10 minutes spent on these kinds of activities equals an hour of tracked work.
The best part about routine tracking is that it doesn’t require any extra effort beyond what you already do for the task at hand—and if done correctly, it won't feel like work at all! For example: if you spend most days checking email first thing in the morning before heading into meetings all day long but don't have time during lunch breaks or after hours because of other obligations (or both!), then adding "track every 10 emails" will only add 10 minutes per day without impacting anything else in your schedule!
Create a daily schedule
In order to get a better idea of how much time you need to schedule for work, it's important to create a daily schedule. Make sure you set aside time for work and personal activities so that your day isn't filled with only one or the other. For example, I like to take half an hour in the morning just for myself—to go on walks, play video games online, watch Netflix... whatever makes me happy!
Then after lunch (or sometimes even during lunch), I'll fill up the rest of my day with work until it's time for dinner. Once dinner is over, it's back into business mode again until bedtime rolls around. This way I can get everything done without feeling like my life has been consumed by work.
Work in short shifts
The first time tracking tactic we are going to talk about is working in short bursts. It's important to take breaks while working so you don't burn out or get distracted by everything else happening around you.
It can be helpful to take a break after checking off some tasks from your list, or when you feel like your brain needs a new challenge. A good rule of thumb is that if you aren't feeling energized after completing one task, it might be time for another break!
You may also want to consider taking breaks based on how long you've been working on something. For example: if its been over 10 minutes since the last time I checked in with myself (this could mean anything from making eye contact with someone or simply asking yourself what am I doing right now), it's probably time for me to take a quick moment before continuing on my project or task at hand
Track your time and use it to your advantage
Once you've started tracking your time, it's important to understand the data and use it in ways that can benefit your company.
Look for patterns. You might find that certain days of the week are more productive than others, or that you work more efficiently at certain times of day. This can help you schedule meetings during low-traffic hours, or adjust your workflow so that clients see faster turnaround times on their projects.
Identify problem areas where employees are wasting time on tasks that don't need to be done at all.
Use this information as a way to boost morale among staff members who regularly accomplish their tasks quickly and efficiently—and give them bonuses for their hard work!
Time tracking can help you break bad habits and keep you on task.
If you're like most people, time tracking can help you break bad habits and keep you on task. For example, if you work in an open office plan without soundproof walls, a coworker might be audibly distracting you while they talk on the phone with someone else. But if your company uses time tracking software that shows everyone how much time they spent talking on the phone during any given day, this behavior will become less common—and everyone wins!
Here are just some of the ways that using an effective time tracking system can improve your productivity:
Break bad habits by identifying them
Make better use of your tools and resources (e.g., stop taking longer than necessary to complete tasks)
Improve worker communication by measuring who's working where/when (e.g., if someone isn't at their desk or has checked out early)
Outdone
First and foremost, my phone has to be across the room from me — too distracting to have it within arm's reach.
I've found loud electronic music with minimal lyrics is best for me when I really need to have my head down building something for a few hours.
BeforeSunset AI
@jonathan_nass Great Jonathan! I have to turn off my phone notification, I agree. We have also slack community about productivity and share songs in drop the beat channel. Listening focusing music motivates me!
BeforeSunset AI
@jonathan_nass https://www.usebeforesunset.com/... you can find it here.
I work remotely, so it's almost impossible... I completely focus on work when deadlines are burning and I have to do everything fast... I can't do it evenly at all because there are so many distractions...
BeforeSunset AI
@new_user_3061b02691f08 Oh! I think you can try the tips shared in this discussion. One of them may help you.
(1)Put mobile on focus mode
(2)plugin earphones with music light music
(3)Define daily goals for work and track that goal I suggest use sticky notes or anything which is in front of you
One more thing if you want to focus on work just enjoy the work
Focusing while working can be challenging, but there are several strategies you can use to improve your concentration and productivity. Here are some tips to help you stay focused:
Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to accomplish before you start working. Having clear objectives will give you a sense of purpose and direction.
Create a Dedicated Workspace: Designate a specific area for work that is comfortable and free from distractions. This will help train your brain to associate that space with focused work.
Organize and Prioritize: Make a to-do list or use a task management system to prioritize your work. Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps to prevent feeling overwhelmed.
Time Management: Use time management techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique (working for 25 minutes and then taking a 5-minute break) to maintain focus and prevent burnout.
Eliminate Distractions: Identify common distractions and minimize or eliminate them. This might include turning off social media notifications, silencing your phone, or using website blockers.
Single-Tasking: Multitasking can reduce overall productivity. Try to focus on one task at a time to achieve better results.
Mindfulness and Meditation: Practice mindfulness exercises or short meditation sessions to train your mind to stay present and resist wandering thoughts.
Take Regular Breaks: Short breaks can help rejuvenate your mind and prevent mental fatigue. Use your breaks to stretch, take a walk, or do a quick relaxation exercise.
Stay Hydrated and Eat Well: Proper nutrition and hydration can have a significant impact on your ability to concentrate. Avoid heavy, sugary meals that can lead to energy crashes.
Stay Organized: Keep your workspace tidy and organized. Clutter can create mental clutter and make it harder to focus.
Set Specific Times: Establish specific working hours. Having a routine can help your brain prepare for focused work during those times.
Use Technology Wisely: Use productivity tools and apps to help you stay organized and on track. Calendar apps, task managers, and note-taking apps can be very useful.
Stay Motivated: Find ways to stay motivated by setting rewards for completing tasks or reminding yourself why the work is important.
Also Read: https://www.onlinelike.com/prepa...
LeadDelta professional relationships CRM
Scientist says we need to reset our brain resources after some time. You should find how much time you can focus, then have an active pause, something like Pomodoro.
Also, I read that pause shouldn't include information input at all, meaning no phone, books, tv shows, or video games. I tried it, and it works; warm suggestion.
My problem is how to de-focus a bit
I bought a pomodoro timer on Amazon. Best $20 I've ever spent.
BeforeSunset AI
@jjeffrose Amazing Jeff! I also use pomodoro timer. We will embed a pomodoro timer soon in our blog page for free!